The present invention relates to a personal care apparatus and, in particular, to an apparatus for collecting, containing and disposing of waste matter, during the replacement of a stoma bag for those people having had surgical operations for removing a bladder or colon.
Surgical procedures such as colostomies, cystostomies, urostomies and ileostomies involve rerouting of the colon or ureter so that waste materials can be discharged through an artificial opening formed in the ostomy patient's (also referred to herein as ostomate) body. This artificial opening, called a stoma, is typically located in the abdomen and may be about 0.5 to 1.0 inch or more in diameter. A stoma is connected directly to the kidney by a rerouted ureter or to the intestines by the rerouted colon and the discharge of waste matter in each instance is made through the stoma.
The new artificial opening, or stoma, made on the abdominal wall, has no voluntary sphincter control by the ostomate. Collection of involuntary waste seepage is by bag or other receptacle attached to the ostomate's body. Disposable and semi-disposable bags for such purposes are available from several commercial sources. The disposable bags come as assembled units which are applied to the body. Such bags are attached to the body over the stoma by means of a ring-like member known as a wafer or face plate and a sealing ring of double sided adhesive which must be assembled and positioned over the stoma with precision to achieve a reliable attachment and seal. It is essential that this ring be mounted directly and concentrically over the stoma and further, that it be tightly secured to the body, otherwise leakage of waste onto the surrounding skin area can occur. After removal of the filled bag, the common practice in the past has been to first clean and dry the stoma and surrounding skin area before application of the sealing ring to the skin, followed by connection of the face plate to the sealing ring and then attachment of a new bag to the face plate. It is most important that the skin area surrounding the stoma be kept clean and dry during replacement of the bag to avoid infection and to achieve a good connection between the skin, sealing ring and face plate. Adhesive tape is sometimes applied over the edges of the face plate and sealing ring for extra reinforcement. Inadvertent disconnection of a bag can cause considerable inconvenience and embarrassment to an ostomate.
In the replacement of the ostomy appliance, the general procedure is first to remove the ring and the receptacle. The ostomate applies an absorbent material of choice on top of the stoma to absorb any waste matter and prevent it from leaking onto the surrounding skin prior to the application of the adhesive. The surrounding skin must be cleaned and dried. This is generally accomplished by the use of a commercially available “prep” agent, which removes the skin oils, cleans the skin, and leaves a dry skin surface. Upon application of the adhesive, the absorbent material is removed from the stoma and a wafer or ring is placed over the stoma in a precisely centered position. Generally, one must remain in a standing position and using a mirror to achieve the centered position. The ostomy appliance is then attached to the ring and tightly secured to the skin.
Several patents and publications describe devices designed to assist ostomates in the replacement of an ostomy device, including the following patents incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,709 describes an ostomy-changing facilitating device for absorbing fluids from the stoma during the change of the more permanent ostomy appliance. The ostomy-changing facilitating device includes a tubular member with absorbent material filling the bore of the tubular member.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,343,119 describes a cap device for home use to temporarily cover the stoma resulting from a urostomy, colostomy or ileostomy procedure. It provides a means of preventing leakage during routine cleaning around the stoma during the ostomy pouch replacement process.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,187,850 describes a medical-surgical method and apparatus for facilitating the replacement of ostomy appliances. A hollow cylinder, filled with sterile absorbent material is used to center the sealing ring prior to the replacement of the ostomy appliance.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,433 describes an appliance for facilitating replacement of a waste bag by an ostomy patient comprising a base, an upright post removeably seated in said base, and a slideable collar supported on an abuttment on said post. One end of the post includes an opening which covers the stoma and collects any seepage during the replacement procedure. This particular device requires that the face plate and adhesive sealing ring be preassembled on the post and collar, after which the post is removed from the base and positioned over the stoma.
The aforementioned prior art do not include all the features and advantages of the present invention, more specifically, the present device provides an absorbent waste receptacle with a dual absorbency chamber designed to effectively collect, contain and dispose of both urine and excrement; whereas the prior art typically provides only a hollow chamber, or a chamber entirely packed with absorbent material. The device of the present invention does not require preassembly of an ostomy appliance (such as pouch and wafer) or preassembly of the device itself, therefore allowing an ostomate to take ample time to prepare and perform the pouch replacement process. Furthermore, the device of the present invention provides an absorbent waste receptacle that is customizable to a particular ostomate's stoma as well as being disposable for a sanitary and discreet disposal of waste.